Athalaric...the Teenage Ostrogoth King

I just got this coin from the Ostrogothic ruler Athalaric (A.D. 526- 534). He became ruler of the Ostrogoths at age 10, after the death of his grandfather Theodoric the Great; though his mother actually ran the kingdom. Athalaric was rumored to party and drink heavily as a teenager (what do you expect from a teenage King?) and passed away from an illness at around 18 years old; maybe from diabetes. So not much of a ruler; but his coinage is awesome.




Athalaric. A.D. 526- 534 Æ Decanummium (1/100th pound fine style) (18mm 3.2g) Rome mint. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted and cuirassed (Gorgon? on chest) bust of Roma right. D N ATALARICVS S-C, Athalaric in military attire, standing right and holding spear and shield, X (mark of value) in field. COI 85b; MIB 77; MEC 132.


I collect Ostrogothic coinage because it is actually a continuation of late Roman coinage. The obverse of this coin has Roma with the legend of INVICTA ROMA (undefeated Rome). The reverse has S-C (SENATVS CONSVLTO) across the fields which means this coin was approved by the senate; just like previous Roman coinage. Athalaric even uses the title D N (DOMINVS NOSTER) which means “our Lord” which first appeared on abdication issues of Diocletian and Maximianus.

This coin also has an alternate spelling of ATALARICVS, leaving out the H of Athalaric’s name. This coin is an upgrade of an example I already had in my collection. The new one, even holed, is in much better condition and is in finer style. Metlich (The Coinage of Ostrogothic Italy) even differentiates between “coarse style” (85a) and “fine style” (85b)


Here is my other example of “coarse style”. In 1920, it sold for $4.50; which is a little over $70 today.








Michael Metlich The Coinage of Ostrogothic Italy (2004)

Wolfgang Hahn Moneta Imperii Byzantini volume I (1973)

Philip Grierson Medieval European Coinage vol I (1986)

 

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Amazing acquisition, Victor.

Do you know why it has a hole in it? Was it worn as jewelry at one time or some other reason?

 

I assume it was worn as jewelry. The obverse would have been displayed, so maybe someone with more pro Roman feelings.

 

Thanks for the very nice write-up and for showing the neat coins. It looks to me the coin spells his name ATALARICUS rather than ATALRICUS. I wonder if the missing H is because of an error or if there was a linguistic or political implication in it? Or is it just an accepted variant?

 

Sorry about my typo with the A, I fixed it. It was a copy and paste error from my website; which I will fix. The missing H is liable to be just a linguisitc variation; but the reference makes no mention of why, just notes that it happens.

 

Here's some Ostrogothic municipal coinage struck during the reigns of Theodoric and Athalaric in Rome



Ostrogoths, Municipal Coinage Æ 40 Nummi. (25mm 13.4g) Rome, AD 526-534. INVICTA ROMA, draped bust of Roma to right, wearing crested helmet, pendant earring and necklace / She-wolf standing to left, head turned back to watch the two infants Romulus and Remus suckling; XL (mark of value) above, •||||• in exergue. MEC 93-5; COI 82a




Ostrogoths, Municipal Coinage Æ 40 Nummi (24mm 11.3g). Struck during the reigns of Theodoric and Athalaric in Rome, circa AD 493-553. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted bust of Roma right / Eagle with raised wings standing left, head right; XL upwards to left; •Δ• in exergue. MEC 101; COI 76b; MIB I 74a; Demo 42.






Ostrogoths, Municipal Coinage Æ 20 Nummi (23x24mm 6.5gm) A.D. 493- 553. Rome mint. INVICTA ROMA, helmeted and draped bust of Roma right. REV: Palm tree; to left and right, eagle standing outward, heads facing inward; in ex. •XX•. MEC 110; COI 83 (Athalaric)

 

Fascinating coin. I find it interesting that the conquerors of Rome would mint coins proclaiming it "undefeated." They evidently considered themselves adopters and inheritors of the Roman tradition, not conquerors and destroyers.